Profile of Indigenous Communities
The SaySiyat are in northwestern Taiwan, divided by Ergonji Mountain (Ngangihaw) into two regions: Wufeng Township, Hsinchu (Northern Group) and Nanzhuang/ Shitan Townships, Miaoli (Southern Group). The SaySiyat creation myth states that a brother and sister survived a flood, married, and had a child whose dismembered body became the ancestors of all tribes after being cast into the sea. The SaySiyat were influenced by Hakka settlement during the Qing rule and by competition for camphor during Japanese rule, shaping current ethnic relations.
Social and Cultural Features
The SaySiyat society is a patrilineal society, and a clan forms the basic societal unit. Each clan has its own name, combined with the concept of Chinese surnames. Clans enter into alliances, known as “Lianzu” (Joint Clans), stemming from a relationship based on mutual assistance and cooperation. Intermarriage is forbidden between both clans and Lian-zu alliances. The family system is patrilineal and virilocal, and exchange marriage was popular in the past. Traditionally, men commonly have forehead and chin tattoos; meritorious warriors also have chest tattoos.
Industry and Arts
Rice, millet, sweet potatoes, and mountain taro are the main staples of the SaySiyat. Notable foods include rice cakes, glutinous rice wine, and raw fermented meat (prepared by layering raw meat or fish with rice and allowing it to soak and ferment until the bone and meat achieve a soft texture). Traditional clothing is mainly ramie, commonly using white, red, and black, with a white base. Distinctive SaySiyat ceremonial objects include the hip bell (tabaa’sang) and the dancing cap (kirakil), both of which are utilized during the Pas-ta’ai ceremony. They excel in bamboo and rattan weaving crafts.
Ceremonies and Rituals
The SaySiyat people believe in the ancestral spirits and the Dwarf Spirits. The most important ritual is the Pas-ta’ai, held as a minor ritual every two years and a grand ritual every ten years. According to legend, the ceremony is performed to commemorate and pacify the spirits of the Pas-ta’ai people (dwarf village), who shared their lives with the SaySiyat before being slain by them, while also beseeching the Dwarf Spirits to cease inflicting misfortune. Pas-ta’ai lasts for more than a month. The ceremonial process generally includes welcoming, gathering, entertaining, driving away, and sending off the spirits. During the ritual, the people will respect taboos and follow the ceremony protocols.
Competition Event and Participants
- Traditional Archery: Individual Event－Open Men’s Division (2 Participants)
- Traditional Music and Dance: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (6 Participants)
- Traditional Tug-of-War: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (18 Participants)
- Traditional Road Running: Individual Event－Open Men’s Division (1 Participant) /Individual Event－Open Women’s Division (1 Participant)
- Weight Carrying: Group Event－Open Mixed Division (4 Participants)
- Freediving Sprint: Individual Event－Open Men’s Division (1 Participant)